Xylophone



Jan. 6, 1948. v H. ZIMMERMAN 2,434,137

XYLOPHONE Filed Nov. 3, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l I IN VEN TOR: HARRY Z/MMERMAN -WMW ATTDRNE) Jan. 6, 1948. zlMMERMAN 2,434,137

XYLOPHONE Filed Nov. 3, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: HARRY Z/MMERMAN ATTURNE) Patented Jan. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE XYLOPHONE Harry Zimmerman, New Work, N. Y.

Application November 3, 1-944, Serial No. 561,679

'5 Claims.

.Myinvention relates toxyllophones and similar musical instruments and toys.

An instrument of this kind contains a series of tone or sounding bars. Objects of my invention are to hold these 'bars in positions spaced from each other without preventing free movement of each individual 'bar in any of the three directions of space, .to confine the ends of each bar between walls having distances larger than the bar measured in the direction .of the distances, to support each bar exclusively at narrow lines crossing the bar, and to provide bars which are so held that they can vibrate .un'h'inderedly and can produce a clear, loud and well tuned tone.

Other objects are to support the tone bars .at an exactly uniform level or in one plane. to provide .a cord or string or a similar element having position.

Further objects are to provide for easy and inexpensive shipment of the instrument, to provide for storage or shipment of the instrument in a flat condition, and to provide for transformation of the instrument from the condition of "use into such a fiat condition Without interference with the correct and advantageous po sition of the tone bars, of their confinement, or of the supporting strings.

Still other objects are to achieve these results with simple, inexpensive and reliable means and with .a "minimum of efiort and time.

Still further objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an exemplifying embodiment of the invention, from the appended claims, and from the drawings in which:

Fig, 1 shows aperspective view of an illustrative embodiment of my invention, 'in a condition assembled for use.

Fig. 2 shows an elevation, seen from the upper side, of a separator strip, a part of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

'3 shows 'a cross-section taken perpendicularly "to the lined-'3 shown on the front surface of the instrument in Fig. 1, said "cross-section being seen from right side in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4. shows the main body of the same embodiment in a dismounted, flat condition, seen from the lower side.

5 shows the left and Fig. 6'the right end plate in dismounted condition.

Referring to the drawings, humeral l indicates a wall comprising a median part 2 positioned about horizontally and two lateral -parts4 hinged or ioldably connected to the part 2 whereby .the parts 4 may be positioned vertically as in Figs. 1 and 3 or horizontally as in Fig. 4. The wall I may he .made from one fiat sheet, .for example .of cardboard, which .may have incisions 5 along the lines separating the parts 4 from the part 2. ihemedian part 2 .consists of a margin running around an opening 6 which may be cut in a shape becoming broader from one end to the other,

A strip or layer 1 is affixed to the lower side of the part 2 and consists of marginal parts surrounding an opening which is preferably broader than the opening .6 of the part 2, and of projec- I tions or teeth 8 .iorming spacer strips extending in juxtaposed positions from the two longmarginal parts into this opening. The strip 1 may be cut from a flat sheet and may be made of any suitable material, for example of wood, plastics or cardboard; Preferably, the teeth 8 are integral parts of the strip 1'. They may, .however, be .made separately and may be affixed to the strip l or to the part 2 or to the parts 4.

Another strip .or layer 9 is secured in a position below the strip 1 or the teeth 8 and, preferably, has an opening which may be shaped similarly as the opening 6 in the part 2 or as the opening in the strip? and may be slightly narrower than these other openings,

Over the two marginal parts of the strip .9, strings i i! are arranged in two straight lines runningabout parallel to the long sides of the opening. The strings I'll pass between the strip .9 and the teeth 8. These strings may be affixed to the instrument, preferably to the strip .9, in any suitable manner and may be parts of one strip running around the opening of the strip 9. For example, the strip 9 may have two incisions or slots ll at each small side, and a string may be passed through these slots and may be formed into a loop by a knot l2 in such a manner that parts of the string run over the strip 9 parallel to the long sides of the opening and other parts under the strip 9 parallel to the small sides.

.A series of tone bars 13 have ends resting on the strings In, Each bar l3 may be tuned to another definite tone. The bars may have any suitable shape and may be made of any suitable material, for example of metal, wood, or glass. The bars are held in spaced relationship by the teeth 8, have median parts accessible through the opening 6 and have ends positioned in .rec'esses or cavities which are formed by the recesses between the teeth 8, by upper walls formed by the part '2 and by lower walls or bottoms formed by the strip 9. The walls of these cavities prevent the bars l3 from falling out of the instrument, but a clearance sufiicient for free movement of the bars is provided between each cavity wall and the respective bar whereby the bars are able to produce a loud and clean musical tone. This clearance is obtained by making the distance between the outer walls of two opposite cavities larger than the length of the respective bar, the distance between two teeth 8 larger than the width of a bar and the distance between the strings l and the part 2 larger than the height of a bar.

The strings I!) contact the bars [3 only at a narrow line crossing the lower surfaces of the bars whereby the bars are supported without any substantial resistance against their vibrating movement. The strings are clamped between the teeth 8 and the strip 9 and thereby secured in a straight position parallel to the strip 1 or the wall I while the strip 1 may be slightly bent so that the marginal parts of the strip 9 positioned at the outer side of the strings It! contact the lower surface of the strip 1,

Preferably, the strips 1 and 9 are permanently aflixed to the wall I or to its part 2 after the strings l0 and the bars l3 have been inserted as described before. The parts I, I and 9 may be connected in any suitable and known manner, for example by glue or paste applied to the contacting surfaces or by clasps passing through the parts 2, I and 9.

After being connected, the parts I, "I and 9 form a frame having a central longitudinal opening and cavities or recesses extending from this opening to opposite sides. These cavities are arranged in pairs, each pair comprising two juxtapositioned recesses.

The two edges of the wall I which cross the 10ngitudinal direction of the opening 6 are provided with tongues or lobes l4 and I5, the lobes l4 projecting from the median part 2, and the lobes l5 projecting from the lateral parts 4. When the instrument is assembled, the lobes M which are positioned on the left side (in Figs. 1 and 4) are pressed through slots l6 provided in an end plate H, the lobes l4 positioned on the right side are pressed through similar slots I8 in an end plate l9, the left lobes [5 are pressed through slots 20 in the plate ll after the walls 4 have been bent into a position perpendicular to the part 2, and the right lobes l5 are similarl pressed through slots 2| in the plate I9. These lobes and slots are so shaped that their engagement secures the plates I! and l 9 reliably and nevertheless removably to the wall I.

After the plates I1 and I9 and the wall I have been assembled in the manner described, the instrument is ready for use and may be placed on a table or any other support on which the lower edges of the plates l1 and I9 may rest. The two lower edges of the lateral parts 4 may be cut in the shape of zig-zags 22 suggesting different tones in a manner simulating the steps of an organ,

For storage or shipment, the end plates H and I9 are removed from the wall I, and the wall is spread into the flat position shown in Fig. 4. Thereafter, the entire instrument may be packed with the plates laid flatly on the wall I. Even in this position, the tone bars, the string I0 and the strips 1 and 9 are secured in their correct mutual position whereby the re-assemblage of the instrument can be effected easily, quickly and correctly,

I desire it understood that my invention is not confined to the particular embodiment shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that my invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention as it is obvious that the embodiment shown and described is only one of the many that may be employed to attain the objects of my invention.

It will, of course, be understood that wherever in the foregoing specification and appended claims I use the word string, other tone-bar supporting and cushioning means may be employed, such as felt strips, cords, or the like.

Having described the nature of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A Xylophone or the like comprising a wall having a median part with an opening, a strip positioned under said median part, having an opening positioned under said first opening and broader than said first opening, and a number of pairs of teeth, each pair comprising teeth extending from opposite sides into the opening of said strip, a number of tone bars having ends positioned between two pairs of said teeth, and a string carried by said wall, crossing the lower surfaces of said teeth and supporting said ends.

2. A Xylophone or the like comprising a wall having a median part with an opening, a strip positioned under said median part, having an opening positioned under said first opening and broader than said first opening, and having a number of teeth arranged in pairs, each pair comprising teeth extending from opposite sides into the opening of said strip, a second strip positioned under said first strip and having an opening posi tioned under said other openings and narrower than the opening of said first strip, and a number of tone bars having ends extending across said openings beyond the edges of the openings of said median part and of said second strip, positioned between two pairs of teeth and being spaced from said wall and from said first strip,

3. A Xylophone or the like comprising a wall having a median part with an opening, a strip positioned under said median part, having an opening positioned under said first opening and broader than said first opening, and having a number of teeth arranged in pairs, each pair comprising teeth extending from opposite sides into the opening of said strip, a second strip positioned under said first strip and having an opening positioned under said other openings and narrower than the opening of said first strip, a number of tone bars having ends extending across said openings beyond the edges of the openings of said median part and of said second strip, positioned between two pairs of said teeth and being spaced from said wall and from said first strip, and a string positioned over said second strip, crossing the lower surface of said teeth and supporting said tone bar ends.

4. A Xylophone or the like comprising a wall having a median part with an opening and having two lateral parts foldably connected to said median part, a strip positioned under said median part, having an opening positioned under said first opening and broader than said first opening and having a number of teeth extending from two opposite sides into the opening of said strip, a number of tone bars having ends positioned between said teeth across said openings, a string carried by said wall, crossing the lower surfaces of said teeth and supporting said ends, and an end plate removably connected to said lateral parts in a position where said lateral parts are 5 6 substantiall perpendicular to said median part.

5. In a Xylophone or the like, a frame having NC S CITED a longitudinally disposed Opening and composed The following references are of record in the of a central sheet, an upper sheet, and a lower file of this patent; sheet, the central sheet having cut out portions to 5 provide fingers dividing spaces between the upper UNITED STATES PATENTS and lower sheets into tone-bar-receiving pockets Number N D t having upper and lower Walls formed by the upper 2,317164 Zimmerman 20 943 and lower sheets and side bars formed by the fingers. 10

HARRY ZIMMERMAN. 

